Syllabus ASTRONOMY 1110H Fall 2007

Shaw Office 235 Office hours 11AM -noon M,W,F or by appointment
Text: Bennett et al.  The Solar System (The Cosmic Perspective) 4th ed

e-mail: jss@physast.uga.edu              my homepage: www.physast.uga.edu/~jss

Below are listed the chapters covered in the course and their tests with their corresponding dates.  Tests will consist of a take-home part and an in-class part. Both parts will be problems and essays.  You will also be graded on class participation and a directed essay. The basis for the directed essay can be a book or a set of articles. For more explanation and the schedule look here. Each exam is 35% of the grade, the essay is 20% and class participation is 10%

The UGA grading system now has plusses and minuses! Grades will be assigned according to 93-A, 90-A-, 87-B+, 83-B, 80-B-, 77-C+, 73-C, 70-C-, 60-D.  Numbers will NOT be rounded up!

We will try to stay fairly close to the following schedule. If we run long, part of the review day will be used to finish up the material.

INTRO Aug 16   Ch 9 Oct 9, 11
Ch 1 21   Ch 10 16, 18, 23
Ch 2, S1 23,28, 30   Ch 11 Oct 30, Nov 1, 6, 8
Ch 3 Sept 4   Ch 12 Nov 13, 15
Ch 4 6 Ch 13 20
Ch 5 11, 13 Ch 24 27
Ch 6 18, 20,
Ch 7 25
Ch 8 27
Review Oct 2 Review Dec 6th
Test 1 Ch 1-8, S1 Oct 4   Test 2 Ch 9-24 Dec 11th, NOON

Part of your grade will be class participation. For each class there will be 'homework' questions posted. At a miniimum you are expected to come to class and answer those questions. Other questions may arise in class discussion and you should be able to give a good try at those also.

ADVICE

If a concept, scientific theory, description of how something works, formula, etc. is presented in class you need to be sure to understand it.  Although much of the material presented in class is also available in the text, it is unrealistic to expect to learn the material without study outside and inside the classroom. 
In order to efficiently learn what you need to know, you must read the material before coming to class.  This also prepares you to ask questions about what you don’t understand.  Put more effort into understanding what is being said in class than in taking a verbatim transcription.  If the material is not clear after studying the text and discussing it in class, set up an appointment for individual help.  If you fall behind, spend the time to catch up.  There is a review session before each test. However, do not wait until just before tests to introduce yourself to the material.  Do not wait until the end of the semester to try to catch up on all you have missed!           Again, don’t get lost, get help!

MISCELLANEOUS POLICIES

Tests
Be on time!  You may not take the test after any other student who has seen the test has left the room.
Incompletes

Incompletes are assigned only if you cannot complete the course work because of illness or other valid excuse.  In order to receive an incomplete we must come to a WRITTEN agreement on what is necessary to remove the incomplete.  If you have taken three tests, you have completed the course.
Honesty
Please read University of Georgia policy on academic honesty, described in A Culture of Honesty.  I take issues of academic honesty very seriously.  If you cheat on the any of the exams or homework, expect to fail the course, or worse.